MIAA releases football schedule

A nationally televised season opener between three-time defending MIAA Champion Northwest Missouri State and Lone Star Conference foe Abilene Christian, plus several other big non-conference game and the usual in-conference rivalries highlight the 2009 MIAA football schedule, released by the conference office.

The Northwest Missouri State game against Abilene Christian is scheduled for Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. CT and will be televised nationally by CBS College Sports. The Northwest Missouri State Bearcats are the defending national runners-up as well as two-time defending MIAA Champions.

The MIAA slate features the eighth renewal of the Fall Classic at Arrowhead Stadium between Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburg State, which will be played Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. CT. Additional potential key games will be Nebraska-Omaha at Northwest Missouri State, Washburn at Missouri Western State, and Pittsburg State at Central Missouri Sept. 19; Central Missouri at Washburn and Missouri Western State at Pittsburg State Sept. 26; Northwest Missouri State at Missouri Western State Oct. 3; Central Missouri at Missouri Western State Oct. 17; Central Missouri at Nebraska-Omaha and Washburn at Northwest Missouri State Oct. 24; Central Missouri at Northwest Missouri State and Nebraska-Omaha at Missouri Western State Nov. 7.

The NCAA Division II Playoffs begin Nov. 14 with the first round. The MIAA has postseason bowl ties to the new Kanza Bowl, which will be played Dec. 5 in Topeka, Kan., as well as the Mineral Water Bowl, to be played Dec. 5 in Excelsior Springs, Mo.